Tethered

Everything is connected! A close friend of mine was unable to bring her new dog home because of the government shutdown. Supposedly, without the proper personnel, certain agencies could not guarantee the dog’s safety during travel. It is better safe than sorry, but still, who would’ve thought that the government shutdown and the purchase of a new puppy would have anything to do with each other. Relatively speaking, this setback is small compared to many families around the country.

Right now, an increasing number of individuals are without income, vital social services, and many people were already living in unstainable situations. It’s amazing how everything in society is connected. Even our global partners across the world feel the impact of what happens in the United States. This moment calls for our collective compassion, advocacy, and prayerful action.

The spiritual wisdom to gain from the observation that we are all connected is the realization that we are all living in the same boat. Especially given our interconnectedness of modern economy, both globally and domestically, there is no separating our successes. For better or worse, we are tethered to one another. If one person sinks, we all sink. The sooner we realize that we are in partnership with each other, and not competition, the sooner we will find peace and prosperity for all.

As a church, we are called to join in prayer. Together, we pray for our elected leaders to act with wisdom and courage, for individuals and families whose livelihoods are at risk, and for justice and compassion to prevail. I pray that as a congregation; we remain in touch and attentive to the needs of all people within our communities. We do not pray for their benefit alone. Why? Because their benefit is interwoven with ours.

I am proud of Lamb of God’s outreach efforts. Our calendar is filled with countless service hours, volunteer opportunities, and an abundance of generosity. Our Feeding of the 5000 ministry could not come at a more needed time given the level of hardship within the community. The mission of the church is directly connected to the people around it. There is no such thing as a “successful” church in a struggling neighborhood. We are undetectably connected to one another. Everything we do has an impact on something else.

One of the core tenants of Paul’s theology is that everyone has an important role precisely because of our differences…”one body, many members.” Paul also reminds us: “Let each of you look not to your own interests, but to the interests of others” (Philippians 2:4). I would go further to say that the interest of others is our own interest overall. The foot is connected to the head. We are one body. May we live as a collective witness for how best to love one another and appreciate how linked together we truly are. May we be faithful people, hopeful believers, and agents of change. It is God that will bring unity out of division, justice out of oppression, and peace out of chaos.

Connected in Christ,

Pastor Lucas